Apple launches replacement program for defective iPhone 5 power buttons

Apple will repair your phone (and upgrade it to iOS 7, if you haven't already).

If you have an iPhone 5 with a flaky power button, good news: Apple has just initiated an "iPhone 5 Sleep/Wake Button Replacement Program" that will replace your button, even if your phone's warranty has expired. The program begins today in the US and Canada, and it will launch on May 2 in other countries.

Enter your serial number on Apple's page to see if you're eligible for the program—if your phone has other damage (say, a cracked screen), that damage will first have to be fixed at your expense. If you're one of those holdouts running iOS 6, your phone will also be upgraded to iOS 7 as part of the repair.

If your phone is eligible, you can send it in by mail or bring it to an Apple store or to a service provider yourself. Repairs will take between four and six days, but 16GB loaner iPhones will be available for you to use while yours is being repaired, if you need one. My experience has been that most Apple stores will simply swap broken, in-warranty devices for working new or refurbished devices rather than repairing your specific unit, but the iPhone 5 has been out of production for several months at this point—Apple may not have enough left in circulation to replace all of the affected phones outright.

I had this problem with my original iPhone and had it replaced under under the original warranty since I had owned it for under 1 year. Unfortunately, the replacement croaked a month ago (it wouldn't respond to touch) and since I was out of the Apple 1-year warranty, I needed to pay for the replacement.

However, I had bought the original with a Visa Signature card and Visa send me a check for the full replacement cost 2 weeks after I filed the paperwork with them.

Most (not all)people with a 5 will probably be upgrading soon to one or the other version of the 6. If it had been the 5S, that might have more takers.

I'm not eligible until November for an upgrade from my 5, but if I have to put up with its flaky power button until then I'm going to throw it out the fucking window. I'm sending mine in this weekend if I can!

The lock button failed on my iPhone 4: not covered by warranty. Fixed it myself with parts from ifixit. Then the lock button failed on my phone 5: not covered by warranty. Paid $200ish to get it replaced because it's not a serviceable part.

So I have a hard time believing this affects a "small fraction of iPhone 5s."

Most (not all)people with a 5 will probably be upgrading soon to one or the other version of the 6. If it had been the 5S, that might have more takers.

I'm not eligible until November for an upgrade from my 5, but if I have to put up with its flaky power button until then I'm going to throw it out the fucking window. I'm sending mine in this weekend if I can!

That's where I'm at. I'm probably porting the number back to GV though and replacing my GNex with the 5s.

My battery is shot from not being taken care of. Ended up fixing that with a mophie.

My battery was shot back in December (launch day 5), paid $80 for the replacement battery and days later the power button got all crappy. I was annoyed to have to live with it for another 10 months, so this is AWESOME! Heading to the Apple store tomorrow hopefully to get this started. The loaner phone is sort of annoying, though.

You can always go to the Apple store and bitch. Do so loudly. Apple build quality is poor, but service is great. I've seen cracked screens replaced three times for free. It has to be the cracks that commonly start in the corner of an iPhone, not some obvious damage to the center of the screen. Get the iphone hot, it will crack.

In the bay area, there are mobile iphone repair vans. The low quality parts are so well known that these people can fix them quickly.

Called them, read them their own rules, but they refused to repair it (but they offered me to buy a refurbished phone at the price of a competitor's new phone in the same class).This happened to me even earlier, with a couple unresolved issues with my Macs. I continue using Macs, because there is no real alternative for my work, and their mini line is great. And I still greatly prefer iPads to the other tablets.But quality is a pain, and I could not find their service so great. In the past they had great repair shops, but now they are not able to repair anything, having outsourced everything. This may be different where you live, but probably I don't live in the right place.

Guess I'm lucky. In our house 2 x iP4S, iP5 and iP5S and never a malfunctioning button or broken screen.

Or maybe using screen protectors and keeping phones reasonably clean and dry helps.

No saying no failures come from manufacturing or design defects, but if the broken company handsets returned to our (IT) department are a reliable indicator, a fair number of these failures could be due to carelessness and abuse; some of the handsets we get back are so dirty and beat-up, you want to wear rubber gloves handling them.

Guess I'm lucky. In our house 2 x iP4S, iP5 and iP5S and never a malfunctioning button or broken screen.

Or maybe using screen protectors and keeping phones reasonably clean and dry helps.

No saying no failures come from manufacturing or design defects, but if the broken company handsets returned to our (IT) department are a reliable indicator, a fair number of these failures could be due to carelessness and abuse; some of the handsets we get back are so dirty and beat-up, you want to wear rubber gloves handling them.

Some people are just careless slobs. But capable of outrage! LOL

Ever since I got my GNex, all of my phones have been kept in Otterboxes.

Because issue doesn't affect me THEREFORE people who issue affects are careless slobs.

Do you have a filter, or do you just say whatever it is that pops in to your head?!

Out of the 120 iPhone 5s that are deployed at my company, 25 of them have had this "dead power button" issue, which took about a year to appear. ZERO of the people affected are "careless slobs" and their iPhones are otherwise in absolutely mint condition.

It is obvious that this is a manufacturing defect, but I am genuinely curious what do you people do with your phones? I have iPhone 5 and I rarely press that button because the phone is set to auto-lock after a short time and I usually wake it with the home button. Furthermore, I can't even remember when was the last time I had to power it off (or on for that matter). Maybe a certain usage pattern triggers the failure?

You probably are lucky. I never had a problem before this one. Apple makes a lot of products; there's bound to be a few manufacturing problems with high volumes. That Apple is voluntarily recalling these phones is telling. They made a faulty product - not that people are using it wrong. (Holding it wrong?)

It is obvious that this is a manufacturing defect, but I am genuinely curious what do you people do with your phones? I have iPhone 5 and I rarely press that button because the phone is set to auto-lock after a short time and I usually wake it with the home button. Furthermore, I can't even remember when was the last time I had to power it off (or on for that matter). Maybe a certain usage pattern triggers the failure?

It is obvious that this is a manufacturing defect, but I am genuinely curious what do you people do with your phones? I have iPhone 5 and I rarely press that button because the phone is set to auto-lock after a short time and I usually wake it with the home button. Furthermore, I can't even remember when was the last time I had to power it off (or on for that matter). Maybe a certain usage pattern triggers the failure?

My power button failed after my 4S was out of warranty. I am constantly pushing it as soon as I'm done sending a text, or using my phone so that it locks the screen and turns of the screen. It's a habit.

Thankfully, you can actually use the phone without a power button. You can turn on the "AssistiveTouch" accessibility feature that gives you all of your hardware buttons as an onscreen menu. And if your phone ever turns off, just plug it in and it will turn back on. The only thing you really can't do is perform a hard reset if it locks up.

Pity they're forcing iOS7 on people as part of the program. Probably to keep down the number of people who take advantage of the offer.

Software frustrations befall the foolish far more than the wise, because while the wise know when to upgrade and what to expect when they do the foolish either upgrade to a major new system immediately expecting it to work like their old one or insist on running deprecated software and stomping their feet demanding that it be supported.

It is obvious that this is a manufacturing defect, but I am genuinely curious what do you people do with your phones? I have iPhone 5 and I rarely press that button because the phone is set to auto-lock after a short time and I usually wake it with the home button. Furthermore, I can't even remember when was the last time I had to power it off (or on for that matter). Maybe a certain usage pattern triggers the failure?

I use it to flick off the screen when I am done with it so that buttons don't get pressed in my pocket. Apple probably could come up with an intelligent software solution that uses proximity and position data to deduce that a phone is no longer being used.

Most (not all)people with a 5 will probably be upgrading soon to one or the other version of the 6. If it had been the 5S, that might have more takers.

Huh? How many people do you think are amped up to have the latest and greatest at all times? My 5 is about 16 months old and I can't imagine upgrading just because a new version may be coming out soon. It serves me well and it's not noticeably slow or otherwise hindered in any way. Thus, I can't believe I'm in the minority when I say, Maverick style, I won't be upgrading until I'm god damn good and ready.

Most (not all)people with a 5 will probably be upgrading soon to one or the other version of the 6. If it had been the 5S, that might have more takers.

Huh? How many people do you think are amped up to have the latest and greatest at all times? My 5 is about 16 months old and I can't imagine upgrading just because a new version may be coming out soon. It serves me well and it's not noticeably slow or otherwise hindered in any way. Thus, I can't believe I'm in the minority when I say, Maverick style, I won't be upgrading until I'm god damn good and ready.

Called them, read them their own rules, but they refused to repair it (but they offered me to buy a refurbished phone at the price of a competitor's new phone in the same class).This happened to me even earlier, with a couple unresolved issues with my Macs. I continue using Macs, because there is no real alternative for my work, and their mini line is great. And I still greatly prefer iPads to the other tablets.But quality is a pain, and I could not find their service so great. In the past they had great repair shops, but now they are not able to repair anything, having outsourced everything. This may be different where you live, but probably I don't live in the right place.

You need to be a pain in the ass in the store. A friend had a ipod that needed a firmware upward. They wanted $10 for the upgrade, but going in the store got it done for free.

Look at it this way. Every apple product is at least 50% to 100% marked up over equivalent and often superior hardware. If you buy Apple, you deserve a few freebies. You already paid for them.

It is obvious that this is a manufacturing defect, but I am genuinely curious what do you people do with your phones? I have iPhone 5 and I rarely press that button because the phone is set to auto-lock after a short time and I usually wake it with the home button. Furthermore, I can't even remember when was the last time I had to power it off (or on for that matter). Maybe a certain usage pattern triggers the failure?

I use it to flick off the screen when I am done with it so that buttons don't get pressed in my pocket. Apple probably could come up with an intelligent software solution that uses proximity and position data to deduce that a phone is no longer being used.

Sometimes there is nothing like a switch, especially for low standby power.

BlackBerry uses a magnetic sensing scheme, which is probably the only low power "off" scheme.

I had this problem with my original iPhone and had it replaced under under the original warranty since I had owned it for under 1 year. Unfortunately, the replacement croaked a month ago (it wouldn't respond to touch) and since I was out of the Apple 1-year warranty, I needed to pay for the replacement.

However, I had bought the original with a Visa Signature card and Visa send me a check for the full replacement cost 2 weeks after I filed the paperwork with them.

Man I feel sorry for you guys. In my country all consumer electronics have a 5 year "warranty" (it's not called that), which means that if something breaks, and they can't prove that it's your fault, they have to fix it within reasonable time or give you a new just as good or better device. And they must give you a loan unit. Any manufacturer's warranty is useless unless it gives additional rights not covered by the 5 year one.

The reason we have this law is simply that we think expensive stuff should be built to last. There's enough waste already, and we don't want to stimulate planned obsolescence. Apple products usually last, so kudos to them for that.

I had this problem with my original iPhone and had it replaced under under the original warranty since I had owned it for under 1 year. Unfortunately, the replacement croaked a month ago (it wouldn't respond to touch) and since I was out of the Apple 1-year warranty, I needed to pay for the replacement.

However, I had bought the original with a Visa Signature card and Visa send me a check for the full replacement cost 2 weeks after I filed the paperwork with them.

Man I feel sorry for you guys. In my country all consumer electronics have a 5 year "warranty" (it's not called that), which means that if something breaks, and they can't prove that it's your fault, they have to fix it within reasonable time or give you a new just as good or better device. And they must give you a loan unit. Any manufacturer's warranty is useless unless it gives additional rights not covered by the 5 year one.

The reason we have this law is simply that we think expensive stuff should be built to last. There's enough waste already, and we don't want to stimulate planned obsolescence. Apple products usually last, so kudos to them for that.

In an Otterbox, the iphone may last a while. Otherwise, not so much.

I know a few people that have used their crack screen iphones for a year waiting for a new subsidized phone.

I had this problem with my original iPhone and had it replaced under under the original warranty since I had owned it for under 1 year. Unfortunately, the replacement croaked a month ago (it wouldn't respond to touch) and since I was out of the Apple 1-year warranty, I needed to pay for the replacement.

However, I had bought the original with a Visa Signature card and Visa send me a check for the full replacement cost 2 weeks after I filed the paperwork with them.

Man I feel sorry for you guys. In my country all consumer electronics have a 5 year "warranty" (it's not called that), which means that if something breaks, and they can't prove that it's your fault, they have to fix it within reasonable time or give you a new just as good or better device. And they must give you a loan unit. Any manufacturer's warranty is useless unless it gives additional rights not covered by the 5 year one.

The reason we have this law is simply that we think expensive stuff should be built to last. There's enough waste already, and we don't want to stimulate planned obsolescence. Apple products usually last, so kudos to them for that.

Wow, 5 years? I must know what country this is! Here in the Netherlands its 2 years for phones. At least it's longer for stuff like washing machines, though.

Most (not all)people with a 5 will probably be upgrading soon to one or the other version of the 6. If it had been the 5S, that might have more takers.

Huh? How many people do you think are amped up to have the latest and greatest at all times? My 5 is about 16 months old and I can't imagine upgrading just because a new version may be coming out soon. It serves me well and it's not noticeably slow or otherwise hindered in any way. Thus, I can't believe I'm in the minority when I say, Maverick style, I won't be upgrading until I'm god damn good and ready.

I have 5 as well and it works fine, no need to upgrade probably for another year.

Crap. I have AppleCare plus on my 5. The power button was mushy for the last several months. Took it ino the apple store in Ginza for warrantee replacement. I thought it was going to be like when my 4s had the same problem - swap out for another.

Instead, I was charged for it and had to use up one of the warrantee replacement "fixes" that comes from the AppleCare plus insurance. Genius dude said the scuffs on the edge near the power button was what caused the issue. Should've argued harder.

So I wasn't crazy when I replaced my iPhone 5 three different times after I got it when it first came out. It would work for awhile then slowly the power button would stop responding. Luckily it was still under Verizon warranty and they kept replacing free of charge...thought I was using the button to much..The last replacement I got awhile ago has been working fine. Punched in the serial number and said not eligible. So I think I'm good till I get my iPhone 6.

It is obvious that this is a manufacturing defect, but I am genuinely curious what do you people do with your phones? I have iPhone 5 and I rarely press that button because the phone is set to auto-lock after a short time and I usually wake it with the home button. Furthermore, I can't even remember when was the last time I had to power it off (or on for that matter). Maybe a certain usage pattern triggers the failure?

I use the button constantly because after I check it I put it right back in my pocket and I don't want to pocket dial. I had three iPhone 5 replacements after I got it after a short period of time the button would slowly stop responding. Seriously thought I was using the button to much...I mean I hit it a lot during the day.

I had this problem with my original iPhone and had it replaced under under the original warranty since I had owned it for under 1 year. Unfortunately, the replacement croaked a month ago (it wouldn't respond to touch) and since I was out of the Apple 1-year warranty, I needed to pay for the replacement.

However, I had bought the original with a Visa Signature card and Visa send me a check for the full replacement cost 2 weeks after I filed the paperwork with them.

Man I feel sorry for you guys. In my country all consumer electronics have a 5 year "warranty" (it's not called that), which means that if something breaks, and they can't prove that it's your fault, they have to fix it within reasonable time or give you a new just as good or better device. And they must give you a loan unit. Any manufacturer's warranty is useless unless it gives additional rights not covered by the 5 year one.

The reason we have this law is simply that we think expensive stuff should be built to last. There's enough waste already, and we don't want to stimulate planned obsolescence. Apple products usually last, so kudos to them for that.

Wow, 5 years? I must know what country this is! Here in the Netherlands its 2 years for phones. At least it's longer for stuff like washing machines, though.

The country you're looking for is Norway. You got 5 year "warranty" (not sure what to call it) that covers manufacturing faults. This 5 year "warranty" is extended to consumer products that should last longer than 3 years (if I recall correctly) of usage (washing machines, jackets, shoes, mobile phones, etc.).

This means that if the products fails/breaks/stops working and it's not your fault (using phone as hammer etc.) they have to fix or replace it. The shop can opt to try to repair the product, but after three attempts to repair your as customer can demand a new product.

This is just a short version and there are some nuances to this law. This "warranty" also extends to products bought online from shops in a EU countries and shipped to Norwegian customers in Norway.(It could be other countries also that have this "warranty")